Separable heel and counter protector for vehicles



Dec. 17, 1963 A. c. SAWYER 3,114,272

SEPARABLE HEEL AND COUNTER PROTECTOR FOR VEHICLES Filed Dec. 27, 1961 INVENTOR I2 ALICE c. SAWYER w/flmz ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,114,272 SEPARABLE HEEL AND CGUNTER PROTECTOR FOR VEHICLES Alice C. Sawyer, 305 Highland Ave.., Leorninster, Mass. Filed Dec. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 162,378 2 Claims. (Cl. 74-564) This invention relates to a new and improved device to be applied to any kind of motor vehicle and providing for the protection of the heel and the counter portions of shoes, particularly for the driver of the vehicle.

The objects of the invention include the provision of a new and improved pad preventing scratching or marring of any kind of the heel or counter portions of a shoe during motions which are necessary to the operation of the motor vehicle, particularly with respect to the clutch and brake pedals and accelerator.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of a protective pad for the counter part and heel of shoes including means for easily attaching the same to the floor of the vehicle in a location adjacent the pedals for operating the vehicle and providing comfort and complete freedom in the movement of the drivers feet during the operation of the vehicle without any constraint placed upon the foot and including means providing for quick and easy removal of the pad for cleaning purposes. I

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a two part device of the class described including a holder member adapted to be substantially permanently attached to the floor board of the vehicle and providing a support for a removable protective padlike member which is secured in position on the holder, the holder including means protecting the edges of the pad-like member so that it does not become scuffed or rumpled up. The removability of the pad provides for cleaning the same, changing its position, reversing it, etc., depending upon the area of wear.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

PEG. 1 is a view in section through the floor board of the vehicle illustrating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in end elevation illustrating the pad;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the pad, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the member for holding and protecting the pad;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the entire device;

FIG. 6 is a section on line 6-5 of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a cross section illustrating a modification.

In carrying out the invention it will be seen that there are two main parts to the construction. A pad-like member generally indicated at it is of convenient size, and has a bottom member 12 conveniently made of leather or plastic. This bottom member is adapted to hold in position a lamb or sheepskin 14 or other suitable material at the edges thereof as shown at 16 in FIG. 6. Convenient stitching or cementing may be utilized, the bottom member being preferably folded over at its edges for this purpose. In any event the lamb or sheepskin or similar material is firmly held permanently in a padlike form and the leather or plastic 12 provides a binding therefor as will be clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 6.

The leather or plastic binding also provides a basis for snap fasteners which preferably are relatively large and rugged and may be applied thereto by punching completely through the material so that the heads of the socket members thereof appear as at 13. These members are provided with the female portions of the snap fasteners on the under side of the pad as at 20. Preferably V 3,il4,272 Patented Dec. 17, 1963 there are six of these snap fasteners more or less arranged as shown in FIG. 3.

The other main part of the device resides in the provision of a pan-like holder which is generally indicated by the reference numeral 22. This may be made of plastic, metal or any suitable material but in any event it has a fiat bottom body portion 24 which has longitudinal turned-in flanges 2d, 26 at the edges thereof. The distance between the flanges is substantially the same as the width or" the pad it? with the turned-in portions of the flanges overlying and protecting the pad at its edges.

The body portion 24 of the holder 22 is provided with snap-fastener stud members 23 which correspond to the socket members 18 appearing in the pad and these stud members are provided with screw fasteners Kid-30 by which means the holder 22 is tightly secured to the vehicle floor board 32, generally in a position in front of the pedals indicated in FIG. 1.

it is a relatively simple matter to position the holder 22 where desired and to apply the screws 3th by means of a screwdriver or the like to the floor board 32 so that the holder is more or less permanently secured in position. When this has been done the pad is either slid in from the one end of the pan-like holder or is tucked in at the edges in a manner which will be clear. When it is in position the snap fasteners at 18 are snapped into the corresponding cooperating members 28 and the pad is thereby held in position with the longitudinal edges thereof covered and protected by the flanges 26. It is equally easy to unsnap the fasteners and remove the pads to clean it by shaking it out or to reverse it end to end to increase the longevity of the pad.

it will be seen that this invention provides a simple device for providing protection to the shoe and comfort to the user, particularly for the heel of the shoe and the counter area thereof. The nature of the lamb or sheepskin or similar material does not readily permit sand or grit to adhere or seep deeply down into the texture and such dirt and detritus can easily be shaken out of the pad and the pad can be easily cleaned upon being removed from the holder.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the holder may be a part of the usual floor mat if the mat be provided with spaced parallel flanges 34, the mat itself being shown at 36. These flanges protect the edges of the pad 19, in much the same manner as above described, and the pad may be removably held in position, as previously recited.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

l. A device of the class described comprising a substantially rectangular holder, flanges at opposite edges thereof for holding a pad between the same, a rectangular pad on said holder, said pad including edge portions, snap fastener means in the edge portions of the pad, cushioning means located between said edge portions at one side surface only of said pad, cooperating snap fastener elements on the holder, the pad being fastened removably in position on said holder by the snap fastenets, and means securing the holder to a vehicle floor board, said cushioning material extending above the flanges and the flanges being located to protect the edges of the pad.

2. A shoe protector for vehicles comprising an elongated holder, said holder including a flat main body member, flanges at the side edges of said body member, snap fastener elements arranged on said holder adjacent to the flanges, fastening means extending through the body member securing the same to the floor board of a vehicle, a pad, said pad being proportioned to fit between said flanges and being held and protected at the edges of the pod thereby, said pad Loving edge portions adapted to be held by the flanges, snap fastener elements on the pad cooperating with the snap fastener elements on the holder, and cushioning material Within the edge portions of the pad, the pad being removably secured by said snap fastener elements With respect to the holder, said cushioning material extending well above the flanges, and the pad being greater in extent than the cushioning material forming margins, the snap fastener elements 10 being located in the margins.

References (Zited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Conway Sept. 5, Anderson Aug. 14, Ritz Woller Sept. 18, Jamieson June 9, Bronson Jan. 26, Lee Oct. 25, Getz June 15, Pim Nov. 15, 

1. A DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR HOLDER, FLANGES AT OPPOSITE EDGES THEREOF FOR HOLDING A PAD BETWEEN THE SAME, A RECTANGULAR PAD ON SAID HOLDER, SAID PAD INCLUDING EDGE PORTIONS, SNAP FASTENER MEANS IN THE EDGE PORTIONS OF THE PAD, CUSHIONING MEANS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID EDGE PORTIONS AT ONE SIDE SURFACE ONLY OF SAID PAD, COOPERATING SNAP FASTENER ELEMENTS ON THE HOLDER, THE PAD BEING FASTENED REMOVABLY IN POSITION ON SAID HOLDER BY THE SNAP FASTENERS, AND MEANS SECURING THE HOLDER TO A VEHICLE FLOOR BOARD, SAID CUSHIONING MATERIAL EXTENDING ABOVE THE FLANGES AND THE FLANGES BEING LOCATED TO PROTECT THE EDGES OF THE PAD. 